Take it Outside…Exercise, that is

As the summer months approach, more people are trading in their gym passes for outdoor workouts. If you enjoy some fresh air, don’t have seasonal allergies and aren’t a vampire, here are some tips for taking your sweat session outside:

• The great thing about going outdoors is not being shackled to a treadmill and having to stare at the back of some yahoo’s head for 40 minutes. Picking interesting scenery will not only keep you interested, or dare I say it, distracted, it will also provide motivation to keep you going. Pick areas like parks, trails or even city streets to push you to explore – and keep running.

• If you are on a strict program, pick parks with marked paths so you can calculate your distance. Or, for an anytime tally, you can use an pedometer or a heart rate monitor that measures distance.
• No matter what your fitness level, pick routes that challenge you. Gradual inclines and declines in the road, or steep hills for the more advanced offer a more effective workout than a flat terrain. In addition to burning more calories, hills give you killer calves and glutes.
• The surface of the terrain you choose can have a big impact, literally, on your joints. The best surfaces for both walking and running are even, cushioned surfaces such as grass or loose-granular tracks. Uneven or sticky surfaces, such as rough stony ground, mud, or sand, will not only slow you down, but can set you up for wrong steps that lead to knee, ankle or back pain, or in more extreme cases, twisted joints or falls. If you have bone or joint problems, you’ll want to avoid hard surfaces like asphalt and concrete as much as possible. To minimize your risk of injury, make sure you have good quality shoes with proper support and traction.
• It is important to stay hydrated, especially when exercising in the sun. Make sure your route has plenty of clean water stops, or better yet, carry a bottle with you.
• Always wear sunscreen. No one wants burns or wrinkles.
• Dress in layers. Light, billowy clothing will protect you from the sun, while being loose enough to let your sweat evaporate and cool you off. Tight clothing restricts evaporation and can cause you to overheat.
• Always tell someone where you are going and when you will be back, just in case. Or, better yet, bring a buddy for some good conversation, and if it comes down to it, to throw to the murderer first so you can make a quick get away.
• Bring a cell phone for emergencies.  DO NOT use it to call a taxi to come pick you up.

Most importantly, have fun!